STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

squishy · Coach

does a store's politics affect your shopping there?

Kelly · Hermes

I don't know. I'd like to say it does, but I'd be lying if I pretended I completely avoided all stores whose politics I don't agree with. In a perfect world, I wouldn't ever step foot in a Wal-Mart. There was one built a mile from my house and smack dab in the middle of my commute, and I think it was a year and a half before I went in there. I was proud of myself, but eventually I broke down. While I try to avoid it when I can, sometimes you need lightbulbs at 4 am and you only have the change in your purse, so there aren't a lot of options.

I feel that way about most corporations. Admittedly, I don't follow the news at all (I know, shame, shame ttara123!), so rarely am I even aware of shady politics behind the stores where I shop. When I do find out, I try to avoid them, but I don't always succeed.

squishy · Coach

i'm kind of the same way. i remember when there was a huge stink about nike, sweatshops and child labor. i was outraged and indignant at the time, but a few years later, i contemplated getting a pair of running shoes and didn't really think about their shady practices. their politics didn't stop me; i just found a nicer pair at new balance.

that said, i feel like i'm supporting their practices if i buy from their stores. when i remember, that is.

littlebean · Kate Spade

I usually don't find out too much about store's practices because I don't seek the information out too much, but if I find out something (e.g. like what you just said about Richard Hayne! or about Wal-Mart), I change my shopping habits. I feel like I have a fairly limited income and I hate the idea of spending some of my hard-earned money on a purchase that doesn't make me happy and feel good 100%.

atlgirl · Gucci

Yes, it does. I don't shop at Wal-Mart at all. I also don't buy from American Apparel since I read / heard about Charney. I won't shop at Abercrombie (admittedly not hard, since I'm really not their target market), since one or two ST'ers shared about their experiences & Abercrombie's hiring practices. I don't own any Nike apparel either, except for one pair of workout pants that was a gift.

I don't shop at UO but I do occasionally patronize Anthro...where did you read that about Hayne, squishy? I'd like to read about it too.

I do think it's important to speak with our dollars regarding our views. I don't have the time or energy to research every retailer out there, but when I do read or hear about shady biz practices, or learn that their politics don't line up with mine, I will take my patronage elsewhere.

relrel · Marc Jacobs

I try my hardest not to shop at stores that I disagree with, but it has to be very bad for me not to do it. The $13,000 to Santorum's campaign doesn't bug me that much. Yes, the man is the devil. However, here's the rub-- how much does Hayne give to other people? I picked up a book a while back that actually outlines all the political and non-profit contributions of just about every store in America. There were a few that were simply horrendous (off the top of my head, Wal-Mart sticks out as the worst) but most stores gave money to both sides, Republican and Democrat. Unfortunately, political contributions are necessary to do business in America and I understand that. Do I wish that my favorite store, UO, didn't give a red cent to Santorum? Yes, hell yes. But, in my mind, there are much much worse things that $13,000. Horrible child labor practices by Nike is much worse in my mind. Wal-Mart's allowance of religion to rule thier company is much worse. I'm gonna run home after work and look up the UO/Anthro stuff to see what thier contributions are like overall.

I've gotten into this argument with my sister a thousand times. You have to draw the line at some point and that's the only way that business practices will change. I don't shop at Wal-Mart because of thier stance on birth control/abortion pills and thier shady health insurance. Would I not shop at UO because of $13,00? Probably not. It would take lots more and Hayne would have to not contribute at all to other politiciancs.

I guess what I'm saying is that political contributions don't bother me as long as a company is giving out money to both sides and as long as it's not some whopping amount.

I might have totally just made that all up because I really really really like UO and don't want to comprimise my own pretend morals.

erin · Chanel

i saw that about the anthro/urban santorum thing and it's definitely changed my mind about shopping there. (though i'd like to find out more info)

i don't shop at walmart.

relrel · Marc Jacobs

Okay, so I did a search on opensecrets.org (coolest place ever, can search for individual donors to poli campaigns). He definitely appears to be republican (great article here: http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=5725) but the $13,000 to Santorum has been over a period of 11 years. He's also given some money ($2,000) to Arlen Spector (who is slightly less devil-like). All of the amounts look like they are for contribution dinners (so much money per plate type thing).

Reading the PW article above though does make me a little cautious though. It appears that he is quite conservative in terms of business practices. I would love to talk to somebody who works there though and get thier opinion on the working conditions. How a company treats thier employees is important to me, having worked in a crappy retail job for a horrendously bad company for six years.

erin · Chanel

relrel: i know someone who worked at anthro corporate for like 5 years and she loved working there, but the pay is the crappiest thing ever.

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

It depends. Frankly as long as the keep it to themselves and dont shove it down my throat then it doesnt really bug me.

What DOES bug me is the ones that shove there politics in your face. ( EX: A store I know has Crosses on her entrance door , and her receipts say "god bless" and she ends every sentence with "Im a christian" even though it has nothing to do with the merchandise she sells. )

I am all about keeping work/personal feelings seperate. In fact the only charities our store donates too , are women related causes that help better women or help fight women diseases. Nothing political or religious because frankly it seems rather inappropriate.

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

If I happen upon information about a store and find I disagree with its practices, I will stop shopping there. However, I sure don't research the places I shop. I guess I wait for the bad news to come to me.

They way I see it is that many many places are competing for my money, and I reward the stores whose business practices and customer service I like, and the same holds true with their politics/social awareness.

-gd

luckylily · Gucci

A store's politics definitely affects whether or not I'll shop there. However, I find it really hard to know what's true and to keep up w/ what different companies are doing.

Donations to campaigns don't really bother me as much as a companies labor and environmental practices.

This is actually why I buy so much of my stuff from local designers and off etsy and such. And, my Anthro weakness aside, I generally buy from independant retailers rather than chains.

Hermes

yes, I have been influenced by practices, but not by political motivations (just because I haven't been aware of any)

santorum is scary, but there's no way in hell someone so radically right would be elected president. the $13,000 was basically flushed down the toilet. hayne can write off political contributions though - so it means little. maybe santorum was pestering him and he gave him a little contribution to get him off his back ($13,000 isn't much when it comes to political contributions)

regardless, i do not like the idea that revenue acquired through my purchases is used to fuel a movement/idea I strongly oppose. I don't know that it would influence my patronage, though... if it was a million dollar contribution to something I was against, and there was some type of resulting influence on the employees or customer, I would probably not shop there.

I have a question too - if hayne had made a political contribution to Giuliani, would you feel differently, or is it just a republican thing?

Kitty · Hermes

I also refuse to shop at Wal-mart. They are the absolute worst, IMO.

$13k doesn't seem like a lot of money in the grand scheme of things. I don't believe in political contributions in general, and am actually quite opposed to them.

I'm surprised to hear that anthro headquarters pays crappy. Erin - what did your friend do there?

jettie · Kate Spade

Okay, this is pretty much totally off topic....

But your post about Hayne made me want to mention, I went to school with Hayne's nephew (he was in law school, I was an undergrad) and Hayne paid for his entire undergrad tuition (to a super expensive, private school) as well as to law school. I always thought that was pretty cool. I believe his did the same for his siblings as well.

And to answer the question, a stores politics don't really influence where I shop.

-- Edited by jettie at 20:31, 2007-07-10

blink · Coach

Yes, a store's politics do affect my shopping there.

But it's all a matter of degree. It doesn't bother me in particular that Hayne contributed to Santorum's campaign, even though my personal politics are completely opposite.

I don't approve of Wal-Mart and I try to give them my money as infrequently as I can. If I didn't care or know better, I would probably shop there very often, as it is the closest grocery store to my house. It's the difference of about $100 a year to possibly thousands a year, I think that's pretty good.

Bottom line though, Everything you buy is a vote.

So I just try to keep that thought in mind, buy from questionable retailers in moderation and as consciously as a mom with two busy baby boys can.

-- Edited by blink at 10:40, 2007-07-12

erin · Chanel

kitty - she was an asst buyer and made peanuts.

Kitty · Hermes

That sucks!

Suasoria · Chanel

Definitely, for the positive and the negative. The negatives are obvious and easy, the positives less so. For example, I'm not a huge Costco fan, but I appreciate how much time and money the president put into campaigning against Bush in 2004, for instance. So I've made a conscious effort to shop there more often.

I also know that there can be big differences between a corporate policy and a store-level policy, especially in franchises but other businesses as well. Domino's Pizza used to give a ton of money to the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, but the manager of the local franchise where I grew up always "made good" by supporting local women's groups, sponsoring girls' softball teams, and so on.